A Night in the Life
by Desslok
Summary: [Shoujo-ai content] A series of unrelated stories examining the personal lives of various shoujo-ai senshi pairings.
1. AmiMakoto

"A Night in the Life: Ami/Makoto" by Desslok  
  
----------------------------------------------  
[Author's Note] This is the first of what will hopefully be a   
series of vignettes showing various pairings of the senshi going   
about their normal lives. Minimal back story on how they got   
together, no angst-filled realizations or rejections, not much   
plot at all actually, just scenes showing them interacting in a   
normal, natural way. I suppose that qualifies as 'fluff', but,   
if so, so be it. I plan to start with my favorite pairings and   
eventually move into more obscure, absolutely non-canonical ones,   
just for fun. :)   
-----------------------------------------------  
  
Makoto set the laundry basket down on the bed and headed over   
toward her dresser. After looking through the stack of CDs   
stacked haphazardly to the side of her boombox, she found   
something suitably bouncy and popped it in. 'Good folding   
music,' she congratulated herself as she opened the window to let   
in the late afternoon breeze. With sunlight sliding in at a low   
angle and a gentle wind behind her, she moved back around the bed   
and started folding. The warmth of the clothing, fresh from the   
dryer, nicely balanced the slight chill from the open window as   
she allowed herself to fall into the happy trance that typically   
accompanied such chores.   
  
After spending a year or so bustling about in the kitchen of a   
high-class restaurant, Makoto had grown tired of the stress and   
long hours that came with being a top-notch chef. She loved to   
cook, but had less patience for the other things that came along   
with the job. With Ami's encouragement, she'd quit her job and   
moved on to her second love: gardening. Though they'd lived in   
the city all of their lives, neither Ami nor Makoto regretted   
moving out into the countryside just outside of Tokyo. They   
found a house not too distant from Haruka, Michiru, and   
Setsuna's, though in a less chic neighborhood. Unlike the condos   
she and her partner had grown up in, it had a small plot of land,   
more than enough room for Makoto's rather extensive garden.   
True, the mortgage payments were high, but doctors earned good   
money and Makoto supplemented that by selling flowers to various   
florists in the city.   
  
Makoto sighed happily, carefully smoothing the wrinkles out of   
one of Ami's blouses. Though their friends teased her sometimes,   
she was perfectly content to stay home, clean, cook, and work in   
her garden. Ami worked very hard and Makoto took great pride in   
giving her a warm, cozy sanctuary to come home to each evening.   
  
As if summoned by her thought, Makoto heard the garage door   
moving outside. Glancing at the clock, she realized that almost   
half an hour had flown past. She patiently went about finishing   
off the last few items in her basket, listening raptly for the   
sound of keys in the door and then footsteps down the hall.   
Makoto shivered as she felt Ami's arms slide around her waist and   
her head nuzzle at her shoulder.   
  
"I'm home, love," Ami said quietly, inhaling deeply, letting the   
fresh scent of Makoto's skin and hair infuse her.   
  
Makoto spun deftly in Ami's grasp, making sure not to disturb   
their embrace. She kissed her love on the forehead. "How was   
your day?" When Ami sighed heavily, Makoto added, "That good,   
huh? Here, does this help?" With practiced ease, she picked Ami   
up and sat her on the edge of the bed, pushing the laundry basket   
aside and pulling Ami's head to rest against her chest. She   
gingerly rubbed Ami's shoulders, feeling the knots there and   
trying to loosen them as best she could. "Busy day I take it?"  
  
Ami murmured something indistinct from the vicinity of Makoto's   
bellybutton, allowing herself to relax completely. She knew, if   
she let herself, that she could easily fall asleep just like   
this. Instead, she looked up with a weary smile. "Very busy.   
Looks like another flu outbreak at the preschool and all the   
older kids need their physicals for the new school year. I   
started running late, so I had to work through lunch, and even   
then barely got out the door on time." She steeled herself for   
what she knew was to come.  
  
"You skipped lunch? Again?" Makoto lectured. "Ami, I've told   
you that you can't keep working through lunch. Not only do you   
need a break during the day, but it's not healthy. You're a   
doctor, you should know that!"   
  
"I grabbed a sandwich.." Ami began.  
  
"...from that vending machine in the lobby," Makoto finished.   
"That's it. From now on, I'm packing you a lunch. I promise it   
will be things that you can eat standing up or between   
appointments."  
  
"I'm not a child, Makoto. I don't need you to prepare my lunch,"   
Ami insisted, though she knew it was a losing cause. Seeing the   
look in Makoto's eyes confirmed her suspicion. "Ok, you can make   
my lunch, but you have to let me make it up to you somehow."  
  
"Oh, I can think of something," Makoto replied with a devilish   
gleam in her eye. She glanced knowingly at the bed and moved   
forward slightly, forcing Ami to lean back on the comforter.   
  
Ami's eyes darted toward the open window even as her heart began   
to race. "Oh Mako," she breathed.   
  
"There's definitely something you can do for me, Mizuno Ami,"   
Makoto whispered in a tone heavy with innuendo. She brought her   
lips within an inch of Ami's ear, her breath moist and warm on   
Ami's skin.   
  
Ami's eyes closed in anticipation.  
  
"You can put all these clothes away while I check on dinner!"   
Makoto announced, shoving Ami playfully back onto the bed. With   
a bright smile, she turned and headed back to the kitchen while   
Ami tried to collect herself.   
Dinner that evening was nothing extravagant, just a random   
concoction of vegetables, noodles, and chicken that Makoto had   
whipped up. As they sat together in the dining room, looking out   
onto the flowers growing in the backyard, Ami told Makoto some of   
the details about her day, sharing gossip from her practice and   
describing some of the thornier patients she'd seen. Even though   
Makoto felt like she had little to tell, as always Ami drew out a   
thorough review of her day with interested questions.   
  
Eventually, Ami rose and began to carry dirty dishes back to the   
kitchen. Makoto brought her own plate and set it beside the   
sink. As Ami pulled on her dishwashing gloves, Makoto poured   
herself some tea. "Are you sure you don't need help with that?"   
she asked.   
  
Ami scolded her lightly, "You cook, I do the dishes. Fair is   
fair. Now get out of my kitchen."  
  
"Your kitchen?" Makoto asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.   
  
"Yours when you cook, mine when it's time to clean up," Ami   
clarified. "Now go!"  
  
Before leaving the kitchen as ordered, Makoto snuck a quick peck   
on Ami's cheek. "You know it gets me hot watching you getting all   
domestic," she teased. Ami replied by directing the spray of   
water at her face, so Makoto beat a hasty retreat.   
  
After finishing up her chores, Ami came out of the kitchen to   
find Makoto sipping her tea and watching the news on television.   
"Anything interesting going on today?" she asked.  
  
"Not really," Makoto replied, "I just wanted to see the weather.   
I was thinking we could invite the girls out for a picnic this   
weekend."   
  
"That's a nice idea. It's been so nice out lately and it seems   
like forever since we've all gotten together."  
  
Makoto sighed, "Yeah, that's the main thing I miss about living   
downtown. It was nice to be able to hop a bus over to the shrine   
and hang out."   
  
"Well, a picnic is a good way to get Usagi out here," Ami   
laughed. "I think she'd walk the whole way on her hands to get   
some of your cooking." Makoto's blush inspired Ami to give her   
partner a big hug. "Do you want to go for a little walk before   
bed?" she suggested.  
  
Makoto stretched carefully, testing her muscles. "I guess I'm   
not too sore. Haruka really gave me a workout today." Seeing   
Ami's smirk, Makoto quickly added, "Not like that, you ecchi   
girl! We were doing kickboxing."  
  
"As long as I don't find any unexplained scarves or handkerchiefs   
lying around," Ami teased.   
  
Makoto grinned. "You're so cute when you're jealous. How long   
did you want to walk? Isn't it a couple hours till bedtime?"  
  
Ami lifted one eyebrow knowingly, a warm smile teasing the edge   
of her lips. "Like I said, it was a long day at work and I owe   
you for making my lunches. I had hoped we could turn in a little   
early tonight." Her light blush betrayed her confident tone.   
  
"We could just skip the walk!" Makoto proposed eagerly.   
  
With a laugh, Ami grabbed Makoto's hands and helped her to her   
feet. "We can do both, my love. It's a beautiful evening, the   
sun will be setting soon, and I believe it's going to be a full   
moon. Come on."   
  
Feigning a pout, Makoto grabbed her shoes and joined Ami. Hand   
in hand, they strolled along the sidewalks and pathways in and   
around their neighborhood until the sky was dark and the stars   
could be seen shining clearly above, obscured only by the bright   
light of the moon. There was nowhere they needed to be and   
nothing that needed to be done other than to enjoy the evening   
and each other's company. They didn't speak much, as words were   
unnecessary, but they did stop frequently to partake of   
particularly beautiful scenes.   
  
After an hour or so, they found themselves back in front of their   
home. As Ami retrieved her keys to open the door, Makoto grasped   
her hand lightly. Ami looked up and was immediately entranced.   
The moon and starlight sparkled in Makoto's eyes. She felt a   
quiver go down her spine as Makoto lifted her fingers and ran   
them through her hair, black in the dim light.   
  
"Aishiteru, Mizuno Ami," Makoto whispered.  
  
"Aishiteru," Ami answered even as her lips found Makoto's. 


	2. AmiMina

"A Night in the Life: Mina/Ami" by Desslok  
---------------------------------------------  
  
Ami pushed the button for the ground floor and leaned wearily   
against the back of the elevator. It had been a very long day   
indeed. With school starting in a few weeks, it seemed like   
every parent in town wanted their kids to have a physical. The   
local preschool was once again the site of a mini-epidemic as   
well. Though Ami loved children, she didn't think she'd miss the   
sight of runny-nosed toddlers this weekend.   
  
As the doors to the elevator opened, Ami heard a familiar voice   
calling her name from across the lobby. Even after all this   
time, the sound of Minako shouting her name made Ami's pulse   
quicken. With a happy smile, she walked quickly over to greet   
the waving young blonde woman.  
  
"Surprise," Mina said with a warm smile as she slid her arms   
around Ami's waist and drew her in close.   
  
Neither woman paid any attention to the interested stares and   
glares from passers-by as they embraced and shared a tender kiss.   
As they reluctantly parted, if only a little bit, Ami realized   
just how much she had grown in the last few years. Back in high   
school, even college, if anyone had displayed such open affection   
towards her, man or woman, she would have turned bright red and   
probably fainted. Minako had taught her so much about love,   
including the lesson that true love was never something to be   
ashamed of.   
  
"I'm glad to see you, darling," Ami said quietly, trying to   
settle her heart rate down, "but why are you here? I thought you   
wanted to relax tonight."  
  
Mina shrugged happily. "I changed my mind. I figured that it's   
the weekend and it's been awhile since we went out anywhere.   
We're turning into an old married couple and we're both too young   
for that!" Mina's gaze darted toward the band of gold glittering   
on her left hand and a slow blush crept across her face. "Not   
that I don't like..."  
  
Ami gave her a fond look, glancing at her own matching ring. "I   
know what you meant, love," she replied. "What do you have   
planned?"  
  
"I hadn't gotten that far," Minako admitted sheepishly. "I guess   
I thought I'd surprise you here and we'd take it from there."   
For a moment, Mina began to feel like a ditz. What kind of   
planner set up a surprise night out without any idea of where to   
go or what to do? Suddenly, though, Ami smiled at her warmly,   
love, trust, and confidence shining in her eyes, and everything   
was all right again.   
  
"I think it's sweet that you wanted my input and I also think   
it's a wonderful idea," Ami murmured. She reached out delicately   
to brush a stray strand of yellow hair from Mina's cheek,   
marveling as always at how stunningly beautiful her girlfriend   
was. "Why don't we head over to Shibuya?" she suggested.  
  
"You don't mean to Kabuki-cho, do you?" Mina asked, lifting an   
eyebrow in amazement. "Want to do a little shopping?" she added,   
getting the desired flush of pink to Ami's cheeks. The Kabuki-  
cho section of Shibuya district was well-known as an area with   
many 'adult' stores, hourly-rate hotels, and other similar   
attractions.   
  
"Maybe," Ami answered coyly, with a devilish smirk. "You've been   
a very bad influence on me, Aino Minako." Ami immensely enjoyed   
the sight of perspiration forming on Mina's brow. She couldn't   
believe how forward she was sometimes with Minako, but somehow   
the blonde made such behavior seem all right.   
  
"_I_ was a bad influence on _you_!" Minako declared loudly. The   
startled looks from the people around them reminded Mina of where   
they were. Taking Ami by the hand, she led her outside toward   
the subway. "What about _your_ influence on _me_? I actually   
spent my entire lunch hour today reading that book you   
recommended!" Minako was still surprised how much she enjoyed   
reading things more serious than a manga or fashion magazine. Of   
course, it helped that Ami picked things for her that she knew   
she would enjoy, rather than the dusty old tomes she'd always   
been assigned in school.  
  
Ami waved off Mina's arguments and wrapped herself around   
Mina's arm, pressing against her side. The scent of Ami's   
hair and the feel of her warm skin derailed Mina's feigned   
tirade, exactly as Ami had planned.   
  
"Kabuki-cho... You always surprise me, my love," Mina eventually   
admitted. "I hope you never stop."  
  
"I promise I won't," Ami said firmly.   
---  
  
After a long, crowded subway ride made bearable only by the need   
for the two of them to press very close together, Ami and Mina   
made their way into the Shibuya district. Though it was still   
early, Friday night brought out a sizeable crowd of college kids   
and young professionals like themselves. The two young women   
strolled hand-in-hand throughout the area, checking the menus of   
various restaurants before their growling stomachs finally   
compelled them to pick one. As they ate, they discussed their   
plans for the rest of the weekend.   
  
"So, are we still on for tomorrow?" Ami asked.  
  
"Yep! I talked to Rei this morning. She said that Makoto had   
been cooking all week, even though it's just supposed to be a   
casual picnic. I think Makoto wants to entice us all to visit   
them more often." Mina chuckled conspiratorially.  
  
"Is everyone going to be there?"  
  
Mina pondered for a moment. "Usagi and Mamoru are definites.   
I'm pretty sure that Rei said something about Haruka, Michiru,   
Setsuna, and Hotaru coming as well."  
  
Ami smiled happily. "It will be so nice to see them all again. I   
think it's been almost a month since we've all gotten together."  
  
"Well, we're all grown up now and it's hard to find the time,"   
Mina sighed. "I really miss going to the shrine or to Crown to   
hang out every day."   
  
"Well, I think I know why we don't go to the shrine any more."   
Ami gave Mina a wryly amused look.  
  
"Oh, and why would that be?" Mina asked, acting appropriately   
innocent.   
  
"You're still jealous of Mako-chan and I," Ami announced. "I've   
told you again and again that you're the one that I love and that   
I can't help it if I had a crush on Mako-chan back when we were   
in school." Ami fought to keep a straight face. She enjoyed   
having this 'argument' with Mina much too much. At first, it had   
been something serious that the two of them had needed to work   
out. However, over the years, it had become something they could   
joke about, something that bound them closer instead of driving   
them apart.  
  
Minako suppressed a smile as she followed the script. "And   
why shouldn't I be jealous, Miss Ultra-Kawaii? How could poor   
Makoto resist your feminine wiles if you ever decided to go for   
it? Besides, maybe we don't go to the shrine because I can't   
trust myself around Rei-chan! You know how I love brunettes."  
  
"Bluettes," Ami corrected primly. "You and Rei would have killed   
each other after a week anyway," she added in a proper tone.   
  
Suddenly serious, Ami reached out and grabbed both of Mina's   
hands in her own. "I do love Makoto and we have a lot in common,   
but you can't explain love. You taught me that, my beloved. I   
can't imagine being with anyone other than you." She felt her   
eyes filling even as she saw Mina begin to tear up.   
  
"Oh Ami, I always knew you were a romantic at heart," Mina   
gushed. "I think that's what first drew me to you."  
  
"I love you so very much," Ami sniffled quietly.  
  
"I love you too," Mina whispered. With a deep breath, she   
refocused on her meal, the warmth of the moment still lingering   
inside. "Now, let's eat! The night is young and so are we."   
------------  
  
After their early dinner, there were still a few hours to kill   
before it would be an appropriate time to hit a nightclub, so   
Minako and Ami decided to do a little shopping. While Mina liked   
to try on lots of different things, she rarely bought anything.   
Ami, on the other hand, looked closely at very few items, but   
tended to buy the ones she did try on. Through the last hour of   
daylight, as the sun dipped below the skyline, Mina playfully   
tried to drag Ami into various lingerie stores, promising to   
'help with fitting' as needed. As tempting as Mina's offers   
were, however, Ami managed to resist them.   
  
"I want to save my money," Ami claimed mysteriously.  
  
"For what?" Mina asked.  
  
"For a different store," Ami replied. The streetlights flickered   
on overhead, highlighting the fact that night had fallen at last.   
Ami, who had been content to follow Mina's lead, now subtly   
steered her partner across the street and down the block to the   
left. Leaning up, she pressed her lips close to Mina's ear.   
"That store," she breathed heavily, as chills ran down Mina's   
spine. Minako opened eyes she hadn't even realized had closed and   
saw the store Ami was discussing.   
  
"Isn't that a..." Mina stammered.  
  
"Mmm hmmm," Ami nodded. "It was a long day and my mind tended to   
wander from time to time between appointments. It occurred to me   
that we were running low on body paints. You know how I love to   
practice my art, Mina." Ami purred. Though it didn't come as   
naturally to her as it did to Minako, Ami still enjoyed shocking   
her love by occasionally being a bit naughty.  
  
"My father was an artist, you know," she added matter-of-factly.   
  
"I don't think that is the kind of art he does," Mina giggled.   
She respected Ami for her brains; she admired her for her loyalty   
and devotion to her loved ones; she loved her for her wondrously   
kind and giving heart; but very little gave her more of a kick   
than when her normally shy, self-effacing love got risque.   
  
Ami pulled her face. "Mina! I don't even want to think about   
that! Come on."   
---------------  
  
About thirty minutes and one discretely tucked away brown paper   
bag later, Mina and Ami made their way to the row of nightclubs   
and bars that lined Shibuya. The glaring neon lights made it   
seem almost daytime as thumping bass notes barraged them from   
either side. Waiting in line at a club Mina had heard was all   
the rage, Ami checked her purse.   
  
"I'm afraid I'm pretty low on cash, love," Ami announced. "Do   
you have any?"  
  
Mina gave Ami a condescending look. "Ami, my darling, sweetest   
cuddlebunny, it has been _way_ too long since we've been out   
together. Look at yourself. Look at me." Mina spun, her skirt   
twirling up seductively. "If either of us has to buy one drink   
tonight, I will be devastated."  
  
"Are you saying that you intend to flirt with good-looking men in   
order to get us free drinks, while I am supposed to sit by and   
watch?" Ami asked.   
  
Mina turned back to Ami, ashamed. "I didn't mean it like that,   
love," she began to explain.  
  
Ami silenced her with a loving smile. "I'm teasing, Mina. You   
can't help if it people insist on buying things for you. It   
would be rude to say no. As long as you remember who you're   
going home with."  
  
"Couldn't you act just a little bit jealous?" Mina pouted.  
  
Ami again disarmed Mina by getting serious on her. "No, my love,   
I can't. I know you love me and I know you'd never do anything   
to hurt me. I'm a genius, remember?"  
  
Mina replied with a happy and relieved grin, followed by a tender   
embrace.   
  
True to Mina's word, neither woman paid for anything once they   
were inside the bar. Though Mina refused to use any of the   
formidable weapons in her arsenal (coy glances, shy smiles, and   
the always-effective hairflip), a number of young men, and   
occasionally young women sent them drinks where they stood at the   
bar. Surprisingly (to Ami only, Mina knew better), just as many   
were directed to Ami as to Mina herself. They always nodded and   
politely thanked their benefactors, but they both made it clear   
that free drinks did not purchase any other considerations.  
  
"That one was kind of cute," Mina shouted in Ami's ear, striving   
to be heard above the techno music. She gestured to her newly   
refreshed drink and the tall young man heading off in the   
distance.   
  
Ami shook her head. "He looks too much like Mamoru," she shouted   
back. "You should take a look at 3:00, though."  
  
Mina subtly turned her head ninety degrees to the right. It took   
a moment before she saw the redhead with fiercely blazing green   
eyes staring in her direction. For a moment, their eyes met   
before the redhead quickly looked away.   
  
"She's been staring at you all night," Ami informed Mina. "She's   
obviously got very good taste." She chuckled as Mina blushed   
once again. Despite her confident demeanor, Mina still didn't   
quite understand just how beautiful and desirable she was.   
Though she had made a lot headway convincing her, Ami still   
enjoyed this about her partner.   
  
"She is pretty hot, isn't she?" Mina noted.   
  
Ami glanced over Mina's shoulder at the woman in question and   
then nodded in agreement. "She's ok, but she's no Aino Minako."   
  
"And there could never be another Ami," Mina answered, blushing   
at Ami's compliment.   
  
Once when Usagi had caught Mamoru scoping out another woman in   
their company, Mamoru had replied that his friends all said 'You   
can always look, but never touch.' Though Usagi hadn't been too   
happy with that comment, Mina and Ami had enjoyed it. Ever since   
they'd first gotten together, Mina had always been stunned at how   
adept her girlfriend was at scamming on other women. The most   
surprising thing was that she usually spotted the ones that she   
thought Mina would like and insisted on pointing them all out to   
her.   
  
"Mina, my love," Ami had explained, "I know that you think I'm   
beautiful. I'm sure many people think I am and I don't have any   
issues with myself. But, it is a simple fact that you are the   
most beautiful woman in the world. Everyone who has ever seen   
you has commented on it. I could spend all of my time being   
jealous and paranoid, but I won't. You love me. We share   
something that nothing can destroy. I think that's all a part of   
why I do that." She had smiled then, in that naughty way of   
hers. "Besides, I know you enjoy looking at beautiful women, and   
who says I don't too. I just mention the ones I know _you_ will   
like."  
  
'She never points out blondes,' Mina realized, even as she turned   
away from the redhead across the room. "Well, the poor thing   
shouldn't be wasting her time. She can do quite well for herself   
and it's still early," she declared. Without glancing back, she   
leaned forward and kissed Ami soundly. Such things were   
certainly not unusual in this bar, but the kiss had the desired   
effect, as they both noticed the redhead moving to another part   
of the club soon after.   
  
"Now, let's dance for a little while," Mina suggested. "I'm sure   
you're getting tired. It's been a long day."  
  
Ami stifled a yawn and let Mina lead her out onto the floor. As   
they danced together, Ami tugged Mina's head down so she could   
'whisper' in her ear over the music. "We should head home after   
this dance, love. I feel some artistic inspiration coming on."   
She glanced significantly at her purse where their purchase had   
been secured.   
  
Mina smiled happily and, after the song ended, led Ami out into   
the cool night air. They didn't chat much during the ride home,   
instead standing close together simply enjoying the company.   
Walking from the station to their building, they chatted some   
more about their day, about the upcoming picnic, and other   
mundane matters until they finally made it home.   
  
As Minako put the key in the door, Ami took her hand and spun her   
gently. Even in the fluorescent lights of the hallway, the   
smiling bluette still looked radiant.   
  
"Aishiteru, Aino Minako," Ami whispered.  
  
"Aishiteru," Mina answered even as her lips found Ami's. 


End file.
